King of Harts

50

Emory

"I ate way too much" I groan as Adrian and I walk to the car hand in hand, my head on his shoulder. He just laughs at me and kisses the top of my head.

"It was the dessert" he says opening my car door for me and when I climb in, I playfully glare at him.

"It was tiramisu, Adrian. You never pass up tiramisu" I tell him and he just grins, pecking my lips and shutting my door.

When he climbs in, he turns to me and his hand immediately finds mine, brushing his lips across my knuckles.

"Up for one more stop?" He asks.

"There's more?" I beam and he just smiles, starting the car and driving off.

"Have you always wanted to work in construction?" I ask when the ride becomes too silent for me. Adrian glances at me, an amused smirk on his lips before he focuses back on the road and gives my hand a gentle squeeze.

"No, I wanted to do something that allowed me to travel" he admits and my eyebrows shoot up.

"Really? What happened?" My thumb caresses his hand, my other hand mindlessly tracing his rings and he clears his throat.

"Wasn't for me" he shrugs and I immediately call bullshit.

"You're lying! Is this your first lie to me as my boyfriend?" I blurt and his eyes go round before he's licking away a smile that crushes any doubt or regret I might've had for finally labeling us as a couple.

"I'm not lying" he lies again and I dramatically gasp.

"Adrian Harley!" I shake my head and drop his hand, folding my arms across my chest. His hand reaches for my thigh but I dodge it, turning my body towards the door as much as I can.

"Emory" he growls and I stifle a laugh.

"Not until you tell me the truth" I tell him, turning my head to look out the window. I've realized Adrian loves physical touch and now is the perfect opportunity to hold it against him.

He tries to reach for me again while trying to stay focused on the road and I laugh when I slap his hand away. Adrian let's out a groan, his knuckles whitening as he grips the steering wheel.

"I don't like flying" he grits.

My humor dims just a bit and I wait for him to tell me he's kidding. When he doesn't, I slowly turn in my seat to face him and reach for his hand, twisting the rings on his fingers.

"Now was that so hard?" I ask softly and he quickly glares at me when we reach a red light despite his grip tightening as if I'd disappear from his sight if he didn't have a hand on me.

"It's embarrassing, Emory" he huffs.

"What's so embarrassing? You don't like flying, so what?" I chuckle, brushing my thumb across his knuckles and he just sighs, turning his gaze to the road again.

"Do you still want to travel?" I change the subject.

"Of course I do, just not career wise anymore. I like my job and I love this city" he says and I can only admire him and listen to the way he tells me parts about him I never knew.